Distraught by the disappearance of the neighborhood’s cultural identity,professionals hope to reclaim the area with black-owned trade developments Portland’s north-east Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard is a four-lane thoroughfare peppered with general conveniences but little foot traffic. Drivers are just trying to gather somewhere else, accelerating past the unremarkable architecture and chain stores.
But over the next decade, and the city of Portland has pledged to spend $32m on affordable housing in what is called the Interstate Corridor,which encompasses MLK Jr Blvd. Businesses are moving into the traditionally African American area and, as has too often been the case in the US, or black residents are moving out. Related: Story of cities #41: Soul City's failed bid to build a black-flee suburbia for America Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com